The poll has ended. Actually, it ended over three weeks ago. As promised, I'll only respond to reviews through PM and email.

As an apology for the longer than expected wait, I open with an omake!

Omake 3

Sakura sat next to Naruto straightening a pile of papers. As she tapped the edges against the wide desk, she looked to him incredulously. "Who exactly came up with this stupid idea again?"

He shushed her with a finger to his mouth and hissing breath past clenched teeth. "You don't want author-san to hear you say that! Let's just get this over with." Heaving a sigh, he returned his attention to the front."

Rolling her eyes, Sakura followed suit and put on the brightest smile she could muster. "Hello! It's been a while. While author-san enjoyed his December off, he was quite busy, and January started with some hardships. However, he came up with some kinda plan to make it up to everybody watching!"

"Sakura-chan just thinks it's stupid."

"Now who doesn't want author-san to hear?!" She rapped her fingers angrily against the desk. "Anyway, this question is for Naruto here. Blame it on author-san's, um, boredom. Moving right along… Naruto, do you have a…" She heaved a heavy breath. "…zombie plan?"

"Eh, why would I have that?" He looked at her confused.

She shrugged. "I guess in case zombies ever attack Konoha…or something."

"Tut-tut-tut…" He scolded teasingly. "I've already faced something like zombies! There's no real need to fear them."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, that incident in Demons doesn't count! They weren't even zombies! You didn't have to witness the horror of watching fallen comrades rise again to fight against you."

He tilted his head to the side. "Even if some fans don't count it, we did have that…" He shook his head. "Anyway, I don't need a zombie plan. I have something more essential!" He looked around like he was paranoid before leaning in conspiratorially. "I have a Gai plan!"

Sakura stared at Naruto dumbstruck. Her jaw hung slack as she attempted to form a coherent thought. She gave up before her brain broke, tossed her pile of papers in the air, and stormed out. "I give up!"

"Tsk, troublesome…" Naruto turned to Shikamaru as the lazy genius spoke up. "What's this about a zombie plan anyway?"

"I'unno." Naruto grumbled. "I think it's pointless. Instead, I have a Gai plan to protect against Gai-sensei!"

"Gai-sensei?"

"Gai-sensei!"

Shikamaru blinked. "Again I ask; why Gai-sensei?"

"Are you kidding?! You saw what he did to fuzzy brows. Like Ero-sennin said, it's like Gai-sensei assimilated Lee or something."

"'assimilated'? That's a big word for Naruto." He closed his eyes and shook his head. "Why make a plan especially for Gai-sensei though?"

Naruto closed his eyes and held up a finger as if lecturing. "Well, he had three genin students. Of those three, he successfully made one into a clone of himself. If you assume he and his clones are capable of duplicating this one in three success, then he's at least as virulent as zombies."

After a protracted silence, he opened his eyes to see the lazy genius staring at him incredulous. "What? Did I say something wrong?"

"No, not really. It's logical enough for a b-rated horror flick. I'm just wondering when and where you learned more words out of the dictionary, and they're pretty big ones too."

"Uh, er… You really think so? I guess traveling with a world-renowned author has its perks?" He laughed nervously.

"Yeah…"

Chapter 34:
Great Legend

While Momiji breathed and murmured lightly into Naruto's back, everybody stared dumbstruck at Kira Bii. Hinata held her hands to her face with a confused expression while everybody else openly displayed their slackened jaws. Even if the story left out a lot of detail, it seemed impossible that any Kage would simply give up the military advantage holding a contained bijuu innately gave.

"Ah, you don't believe the Kira Bii's story?" He cupped his chin and nodded. "Of course, the Kira Bii understands how unbelievable it must be." His expression set into a stern glower. "The bijuu never really got along with us. We forced them under control and fought them tooth and nail every hour of every day. The current Raikage is a passionate man, and he couldn't stand out plight."

He sighed and leaned back heavily. "Truth be told, he would rather not have to give up the bijuu. As tormenting as they were, they gave Kumo a great deal of strength. Che…" He spat distastefully. "Really, we just wanted to be free. Without letting the Raikage down, we desperately wanted to be free. The Irikim made an astounding offer, and we grabbed it. Without reducing our military strength, we could be freed from our oppressive burden."

With nobody really able to form a coherent thought, Gayt spoke for his master, and everybody else. Star floated back and forth across his collar, almost like swinging while hugging him. "What could they have offered you to maintain your military strength? The bijuu are powerful chakra entities that tower above all other known creatures in power."

Kira Bii tapped his chin in thought for a moment. "Well, no one creature could match their strength; that's for sure. The Irikim knew this, of course." He smiled and nodded when Kanaeru, Shikamaru, and Hinata seemed to come to a realization. Sakura looked less puzzled than Naruto. "I see you're starting to get it. The Kira Bii still holds powerful creatures at bay, but, compared to that detestable Hachibi, my new friends are nothing."

Gayt nodded, and his armor clanked and rattled slightly in response. "The reason you recognized the true jinchuuriki was because the creatures you now contained recognized and feared them. Instinctually, they still see each other as individuals and cower before the greater power. It's similar to how Momiji-sama recognized you."

Kanaeru covered her mouth in thought. "The more I hear…the more I want to believe. Who exactly are the Irikim? They know a lot of glyphs and seals lost to the test of time." She looked to Kira Bii with newfound interest. "You may be useless, but you've managed to provide some useful information."

Kira Bii smirked at her reply. "Hey, the great Kira Bii gets attacked by Akatsuki, and that's all the response I get? They even forced the great Kira Bii to go all out and waste a full eighth of my chakra on a Bushin to see what they were up to." He pointed to his center chest and smiled broadly. "Perhaps this will make you grovel before the great Kira Bii and beg fealty and forgiveness!"

Expressions all around changed to disbelief as he prattled on self indulgently. "With awesome skill and foresight, the great Kira Bii managed to witness how they extract the disastrous bijuu from jinchuuriki and lived to tell about it." Disbelieving expressions changed to hope and anticipation. "They drug the great Kira Bii's Bushin to a dark cave and unsheathed the most uncanny of weapons."

His bravado dropped as if it was a façade. "I witnessed the method of Yugito Nii's death. That statue was the embodiment of death itself. For the rest of my life, I won't be able to remove its image from my mind. It'll haunt me as nightmares." He pulled out a piece of paper and tossed it at Kanaeru. "The great Kira Bii hopes that helps." He stood and looked to the canopy. A light chuckle escaped his throat. "You'll be avenged, Yugito…"

Before he could finish, he fell to the ground with a reverberating thud. Kanaeru stood over his prone form, fist red from exertion. Though she tried to maintain a neutral expression, her eyes were slightly widened. "What's that?! His face is harder than that green spandex pervert!" She hid her pain by placing her hands on her hips. "Well, let's go!"

Before turning to take off, she barely nodded to Gayt. He nodded in reply, and Star flashed red for an instant. As she took off at full speed, everybody else followed with enough surprise to forestall complaint. They followed, not quite understanding what just happened. Only a few moments later, they finally caught up. "Hey, what was that for?" Naruto asked as he slowed his pace to match his aunt's.

"Don't you get it?" Naruto, Hinata, and Sakura looked to Shikamaru expectantly. He sighed. "She didn't want him to follow us. He finished talking and was about to ramble on about something useless. We really don't know if we can trust him. Since Sasuke was probably the one who attacked him, we can't ignore the possibility that he's out for some kind of revenge."

A ways back, Gayt watched Kira Bii easily push himself back up. They stared at each other for a few long moments before the runaway ninja stretched and loudly sighed. After a moment, he rubbed his cheek in mock pain. "That woman just can't trust anybody." He shrugged and shook his head. "Is that anyway to treat the great Kira Bii after going through all that trouble to tell a heartwarming and embarrassing story?"

Gayt stepped forward and clenched a fist. A heavy bardiche materialized, and he held it as nonthreatening as a poleax could be. He might have felt impressed at the lack of reaction from the former jinchuuriki. "We are grateful for your information, but that is it. We will ignore your presence and not report you to ANBU so long as you do not follow us."

Kira Bii held his hands up disarmingly as his face creased in a widening smirk. "Ah, the great Kira Bii has no intention of following heedlessly unwanted." He chuckled. "Though the great Kira Bii is on vacation, there is some business that only my great personage can attend to."

Gayt nodded. "Even so, I don't know that I can trust you. Even I feel something from you; though, it certainly isn't chakra. You exude menace, so I will follow my master's orders. If necessary, I'll follow after they are outside your detection range." He paused to emphasize the next point. "After all, you can't sense me, therefore you can't follow me."

Kira Bii lowered his face slightly. "The great Kira Bii always wondered what the Irikim meant when they said the new beasts were criminals. These two friends are a hassle, but they are weak compared to a previous tenant." He shrugged. "Oh well, just means the Kira Bii can't ever be caught defenseless."

There was silence for a moment. To Kira Bii, it was uncomfortable. He knew the Konoha shinobi had no reason to trust him, but he still hoped his information helped them. After a few moments, he turned north. It was practically the opposite direction they were last heading. He spoke as he looked over his shoulder. "Well, the great Kira Bii can't sense them anymore. Your master is probably waiting."

"What could make you risk life and limb to travel into potential enemy territory?" Gayt knew his surroundings well enough, and he knew the history of the Great Ninja Wars through Kanaeru. Konoha and Kumo were often at odds, and Kira Bii's northern heading lead either dangerously close to Earth or into the powerful land herself. "I'm sure your Raikage would graciously welcome you back, yet you risk that military strength you fought to maintain."

Kira Bii stopped and rubbed the back of his neck. "There are few things that could cause the population of Kumo to turn on their Raikage." He paused to look to the canopy and heave a sigh. "There are things that the great Kira Bii has to take care of. No matter how much I want to help the jinchuuriki or fight Akatsuki, there are simply more important things…"

Gayt nodded and turned. Before he could take a step, the former jinchuuriki asked one last question. "What's your name, armored warrior? What's your story?" While their backs were to one another, the silence that came after the questions wasn't uncomfortable. There was a certain understanding between them, and Star hovered above her constant companion's shoulder.

Armor clanked as he lowered his face to stare at the dirt. He released his grip on his weapon, and the bardiche disappeared into nether. Armor clanked as he straightened his stance. He looked ahead, confident and calm. "Ask me again when I remember my name. For now, I am Gayt, and my loyal companion follows me as Star. In turn, I follow the woman who saved my life."

He seemed to disappear as he ran after Kanaeru and the Konoha shinobi she had hired. Kira Bii stood still as a smile spread across his face. "Interesting." He took a step forward before pushing off and taking to the trees. "We seem to have something in common there. Interesting, very interesting!" He pushed chakra into his legs and feet and took off at full speed. He wanted to get to his destination as quickly as possible.

Karui, Omoi, and Samui stood resolute before Kakashi as he read over a scroll they handed him. He set it down with a sigh before he steepled his hands. He studied them for a moment as he drew conclusions from what he had just read. A specially designed ninjutsu for long-range communication was certainly not unheard of. However, the abilities Hitohana had went beyond such a mundane explanation.

As he leaned his chin on the perch his hands created, he had to admit the unorthodox technique certainly proved advantageous. "I can't imagine you have a simple request if you already know who killed your second-highest ranking shinobi. After all…" He eyed them accusingly. "…you feigned innocence as you pointed fingers at a man who was simply defending his home from a high-ranking official pretending to parade peace."

Samui tapped a finger against her bicep angrily. "We don't need to be reminded of that!" She grumbled at no one in particular as she gathered her thoughts. "We aren't here to argue, and this time we simply want answers from that murderer. We'll leave his fate in your hands." She leaned against his desk with one hand with an accusatory glare. "Besides, Hitohana-sama explained our position."

Kakashi didn't move as he evaluated their expressions. They wanted answers they most definitely deserved, but he also had an obligation to protect Konoha's interests. "He explained his position exceptionally well. Even the Hyuuga heir Kumo insulted was willing to accept his word." They cringed, and he nodded in satisfaction. "However, you must understand my position. You don't exactly have a good track record with us when making accusations."

Samui heaved a sigh in surrender. "We aren't asking for extradition in this case. We want information from him, and I'm sure you want the same." She pointed to the scroll they handed him. "Raikage-sama willingly gave you all the evidence you need to convict that traitor, and it was Hitohana-sama's own eyes that saw the treason. You can't expect us to simply…"

Kakashi raised a hand to forestall her continued argument. "We want the same thing here, unfortunately Danzou perished in his cell." Stunned, the visiting ninja swarmed the interim Hokage's desk and bombarded him with questions. Rolling his eyes, he effectively slammed his open palms to snap them back to attention. "You've got to listen to everything I have to say first."

As they quieted down and backed away, he sat back in his chair enough to lean comfortably. "We know he was working for somebody, and we're still investigating it." His one-eyed glare quieted any inquiries. "We've been piecing together what information we can, but we've run across nothing but dead ends. He's as crafty in death as he was in life."

He turned slightly to the side, taking his eyes off them. "You came here for information on Uchiha Sasuke and the man who killed Hitohana. I know how you feel, unable to accomplish one of those tasks. However, I'm still willing to cooperate as Tsunade-sama promised. We've already prepared the information you'll want." He turned back to see sobered ninja. "Now, what information did you bring to offer in exchange?"

Strangely, it was Omoi to answer. "Oh, you're going to love this!" He pulled a few scrolls out of a hidden pocket. He unfurled one as he set them down. He pointed to the information carefully written out. "You see; we've got spies set up in Akatsuki. We set up a few people to look like traitors and join the ranks." He practically smiled ear to ear.

Karui rolled her eyes and continued where her comrade left off. "None of them have been able to advance very far, but they've been scattered around to various bases. As we're sure you know, the main headquarters is in Rain." She indicated one of the other scrolls her partner put on the desk. "We've listed the bases we've been able to confirm throughout the various lands."

"The third scroll contains a list of who we believe the major players are." Samui didn't skip a beat as she easily continued. "Things may have changed due to promotions, demotions, death, or whatever else in the last few months, but we believe the information is still valuable. Raikage-sama will present a more updated list at the Shadow Council."

Kakashi looked over the information quickly. It was valuable, but some of it was simply repetition of what they'd already gleamed from Jiraiya's research. However, updated information was best. Isaribi was still getting used to his network, so she wasn't as confident in her information as she would be once fully settled in. The interim Hokage as forced to accept what he could get.

With a nod, he pushed away from his desk and stood. The visiting shinobi tensed, but they were put at ease when he gently spoke. "I'd show you the information on Uchiha Sasuke personally, but I need to prepare to leave for the Shadow Council." Without a visible signal, an ANBU wearing a bear mask appeared. "ANBU-san will show you to Ibiki. He's usually in charge of interrogations, but he's been prepped and briefed to help you. Now, if you'll excuse me…"

Before they could say anything, Bear stepped between him and them. In a swirl of leaves, Sharingan Kakashi was gone. Ignoring any potential protests, Bear stepped between the visiting shinobi and towards the tent portal. He simply expected them to follow as he exited and prepared to head to Ibiki. He wasn't happy about giving village secrets to outsiders, but he understood the circumstances and would carry out orders.

The port that came to be called Minato was little more than a small fishing village before the third great ninja war. It was a seemingly unimportant village far removed from the normal hustle and bustle of Fire's economy. It provided fresh fish for some local areas, but it never interacted with Konoha. At least it never interacted with Konoha before it became a foothold for Kiri invasion.

Many legends came from an indisputable fact. A jonin named Namikaze Minato was sent to gather information on Kiri's movements in the region, and he managed to singlehandedly repel the invasion forces. His mission report was, at best, obscure. It left much to the imagination, and the people of the now central trade port tend towards the extravagant.

If one were to believe the villagers, one might believe Konoha's Fourth was capable of becoming wind and attacking from everywhere at once. Even his greatest time/space technique was never capable of such a feat, so one is often left wondering just how he managed to drive out the Kiri foothold and reclaim the small fishing village in the Fire daimyo's name.

Anther tale tells of how Konoha's Fourth parted the seas of the great bay to take away Kiri's greatest strength. Though even Konoha embellishes his greatness, he was never recognized as a Suiton user. In the same legend, he parted the seabed and dropped most of the army into an abysmal fate. Some say he commanded a great sea beast in the battle while others say he became one with the sea's anger in order to accomplish the impossible.

Whatever means he used, the end result was all that mattered. The Kiri invasion army walked away in shambles, and only a few minor skirmishes happened along the beach line border for the rest of the war. Minato went on to emblazon his shinobi record by soundly defeating Iwa after a protracted conflict.

The port of Minato grew famous and fed off of rumors and half-truths. Though embarrassed by defeat there, even Water used the location for centralized trade with Fire. The port grew and grew, and a festival-like atmosphere followed the happy denizens. The port was easily one of the biggest economical hubs in Fire, and it was the place to find brokered deals between Fire and Water merchants.

It was far more of a surprise to Naruto and everybody else when the wild tales didn't live up to even a tenth of their expectations. When they arrived, the port was nearly dead. They were greeted by local authorities and told that martial law was in effect and a curfew established. As dignified ninja, they were exempt from curfew, but they were expected to follow the letter of the law.

Foreign dignitaries were expected, and they were obviously important. The authorities didn't want to risk an assassination attempt. The citizens seemed more than willing to cooperate. There were few merchants still open, and even they had their shutters closed. The only indication they were open was a bulletin posted on each door. From what the group of Konoha shinobi and their employer could tell, only the bare essentials were available.

Gayt arrived less than an hour after them. Based on how far behind he was, he should have been there sooner. Though Naruto was a bit hot at having to wait, Kanaeru had expected it. She had also expected the authorities' reaction to his sudden appearance. She calmly explained the situation, and eventually managed to defuse a potentially problematic situation.

As they ate an instant meal bought from a local vendor outside a closed restaurant, they discussed their next more. The conversation was mostly between Kanaeru and Shikamaru. The others simply watched the back and forth with varying interest. "So, are you going to tell us the next stop on our little excursion?"

"Oh, you should know better by now Shikamaru-kun." Kanaeru smiled devilishly when he rolled his eyes. She was having fun even with his lazy reactions. "I want to keep the specifics a secret for now, but the boat I chartered will take us to one little stopover before we make preparations to head directly to the little hub you'll be using as mission control. I'll be directing things from headquarters, of course."

"You're not going to tell us what our destination is?" He sighed when she simply wagged a finger at him. "Will you at least tell us what our first mission is? We might want to prepare while we're stuck at this port waiting for it to reopen."

She chuckled. "Oh, you don't need to worry about it. Your first mission is easy, and it involves infiltration and subterfuge. Preferably, you won't have to fight. As for the exact specifics, I want to leave that for the mission brief. I wouldn't want one of you rushing off to be a hero all alone." She smiled knowingly.

Shikamaru sighed and decided to drop it. He went back to eating. He knew they were heading somewhere secure. Kanaeru wasn't going to risk Naruto's safety, and she had a certain fondness for Hinata. He perfectly understood his own role, and Sakura's backup was both essential and obvious. They were a team meant for a single long term mission or series of much smaller missions.

When Sakura and Hinata looked up, he instinctively turned around. It took a moment for what they sensed to come into view, but he immediately took up a defensive position when he saw who was strolling casually towards them. He didn't recognize them, but he hadn't met too many Kiri shinobi. He looked to Naruto and Sakura to try to gather some information.

They showed no recognition. Their expressions were neutral, neither hesitant to defend from potential attack nor eager to start a fight. He turned his attention to Hinata. She was closer to Momiji, and her stance betrayed her defensive juuken to any who knew it. Finally, he turned his attention to Kanaeru, Gayt, and Star. They were relaxed, obviously expecting them to handle any potential situation.

As they approached, the lead female raised her arms disarmingly. "Whoa, we're not here to fight." She smiled charmingly and tilted her head to one side. Her maroon locks gently fell to one side as if to emphasize her lack of bloodlust. When they didn't respond the way she had hoped, she placed her hands on her hips and looked them over in mild disappointment. "I never called for Konoha shinobi to escort me."

Her eyes narrowed dangerously when her own words sunk in and set off a second meaning. "Is Konoha implying that a kunoichi can't find her own way without a proper escort? I even brought two men with me!" She paused and added grievances in a barely audible grumble. "Though, they're terrible with directions on the mainland, so I'm having to lead them anyway!"

"Are you crazy or something?!" Everybody looked to Naruto and his lack of tact. "We never said anything about escorting you or anything. We're just using this port to reach our next destination, and it's closed 'cause some hotshot dignitary is coming through." He pointed a thumb to the center of his chest. "They don't know who they're dealing with!"

"Oh?" The woman cooed and wrapped her arms under her bust. She bent slightly at the waist to look him in the eyes. "Aren't you a cute one? Tell me boy, who is it they don't know who they're dealing with?" She only smiled when she noted the hint of jealousy from the Hyuuga girl. She'd have her fun. She especially liked playing with young men who were full of themselves.

"My name's Uzumaki Naruto, and I'm going to be Hokage one day! Then I'll protect everybody with my power." He stood proudly with his arms crossed over his chest. Even with such a conceited statement, he simply kept his eyes closed and nodded. He was confident, and his pink haired companion palmed her face.

The woman's aura seemed to change even as she maintained her cheerful expression. "You're not saying you don't think a woman can be a Kage… Are you?"

"Eh?" Naruto looked at her confused. He tilted his head to one side expressing how odd he found the question. "Tsunade-baachan does a pretty good job. She's kind and considers everybody as best she can, but…" He paused trying to push a suddenly growing sullenness away even as he continued in a whisper. "…she pushed herself too far and got hurt real bad."

"Tsunade-baachan…" She mulled over the name as it rolled off her tongue. Her eyes widened in revelation. "You mean the great Senju Tsunade?! She's regarded as the greatest medic in the history of the shinobi world, and you call her baa-chan so casually? She's your Hokage, right?"

Naruto crossed his arms and looked away. "She expects people to show her respect, but she hides her real age behind an elaborate genjutsu." He looked down. "She's also one of the few people who saw the real me from the beginning. She really helped me out, and Konoha really needed her." He looked the woman in her green eyes. "No, I'd never say kunoichi have no place as a Kage."

The woman smirked smugly and moved a maroon lock behind her ear. "I'll tell you a secret, boy. I really like you, and I'll be more than glad to work with you once you become Hokage." She stood erect and motioned to her two escorts. "We're leaving." As she turned, she finally introduced herself. "By the way, I'm Terumii Mei, Mizukage-sama."

"Are you sure about revealing yourself, Mizukage-sama?" Her companion with an eye patch carefully voiced his concern. Though they weren't too far away from the Konoha shinobi, they had showed no signs of pursuit. The next thing he knew; he was grabbed by the collar and shaken back and forth.

"Are you implying that just because I'm a woman I can't handle myself? I'm your Mizukage, and you still doubt my abilities?!" She released him, and he fell to the ground in a boneless heap. "You can be real incensitive Ao! Just look at Choujuurou." She practically cooed his name. "He believes in me!"

"Argh, I didn't say anything like that!" Ao attempted to defend himself as he stood and dusted himself off. "I can't keep up with this woman. One moment, she's flirting with that blond leaf, and the next she's back to flirting with the seventh sword. She's strong and capable, but it's impossible to follow how she thinks." He just shook his head as he kept in step with his leader and companion on the way out of the port village of Minato.

With ninja training, the Konoha shinobi saw and heard most of what happened. Naruto pointed dumbly at the scene and turned with fear lighting his eyes to his comrades. "Is she crazy or something?" Sakura, Shikamaru, and even Hinata nodded completely dumbfounded. Mei, the current Mizukage of Kiri, went off the deep end at even the slightest hint of sexism, and it was mostly in her mind.

"Ah, the port should be opening as soon as they leave." Kanaeru jubilantly clapped her hands together as she exclaimed the news joyously. "Well, she certainly surrounds herself with some interesting bodyguards. The eye patch guy had interesting chakra, and the shy one was definitely one of the Kiri no Shinobigatana Nananin Shuu. If they're here, the other Kage are probably moving to the summit as well. I'll have to prepare, then."

"You mean they were the dignitaries the authorities shut the port down for?" He turned to watch their silhouettes fade at the far end of the street. Then he turned to Kanaeru. "If they knew Kiri representatives were coming, why didn't they tell Konoha? Don't they need escorts to safely move through fire?"

His aunt shook her head. "They have prior and absolute permission. No Kage may interfere with another heading towards an agreed upon Shadow Council. If a Kage were to break the ageless ceasefire, they would only be bringing calamity to the village they are sworn to protect. It would be the start of a great ninja war, and that village would likely be ganged up on."

"That's the politics of the world, Naruto." Shikamaru lazily spoke up. "It's troublesome, but it keeps the world from tearing itself apart. There are wars. There are conflicts. In the end, they have to put up a show, so they can live peaceful lives in their own, secluded little worlds. They don't want the world to fall into chaos, so they build what order they can."

"It's the world you want to get into, kit. A fight between Kage is a fight between their villages." She looked up as they heard footsteps. The patrolling authorities politely bowed their heads and continued on. The shops in the direction they came from were showing signs of opening. "With that, we should head to the harbor. Come on."

She stood, and the rest fell into step. Momiji quickly held onto Naruto's hand and followed close to him. She watched the port trading village with wide-eyed curiosity. She had never seen a village 'waking up' in the middle of the day. On a positive note, she showed no signs of fear as she held the blond jinchuuriki's hand.

Footsteps echoed throughout the dark corridor. A large man marched along with a destination obviously in mind. He wore a black robe that trailed on the ground around him. Along the hem, red clouds identified his exulted position within the feared ranks of Akatsuki. The large sword wrapped in bandages and slung across his back identified him as none other than Kisame.

He stopped at the door at the end of the corridor. His expression was mirthful as he wore a simple smile and humor lit his eyes. He opened the door easily and looked to the single occupant. In similar robes, a man in a swirled orange mask sat in a high chair. He angrily rapped his fingers on the piece of stone furniture. He barely acknowledged his subordinate entering.

Kisame smirked as he walked up to his esteemed leader. "Mizukage-sama… Oh, should I call you Madara or Tobi instead?" He felt more than saw the glower he received and chuckled. "Ah, don't be like that. With Pein…" He paused. "…I mean, Nagato out of the way, it should be easier to accomplish your plans."

Madara sat up and leaned forward. He rested his elbows on his thighs and rested his head on tented hands. "No, it's actually a bit more difficult than that. I need to rebuild my organization, and the great shinobi nations may make a move to join forces and try crushing Akatsuki. I'm worried about the Shadow Council, but Sasuke-kun is rebelling in a way I hadn't expected. While he wants to burn Konoha to ashes, he's wants to do it to revive a proper Konoha."

Kisame laughed. "He's set himself up as a proper obstacle. He's not as big a problem as Nagato; I imagine." He tilted his head to one side as a thought occurred to him. "You want to rebuild Akatsuki? What'cha have in mind? Gonna promote some promising peons out of the ranks? Nah, that isn't your style. You probably wanna get some big fish out of the Bingo Books."

Madara chuckled. "I could always trust your intuition." He leaned back in his high seat. "I wanted to go straight after the Hachibi no Ushi and Kyuubi no Kitsune, but we honestly don't have enough chakra to properly and safely seal them." He waved his hand. "Sasuke-kun has the silly notion in his head of reviving the Uchiha, and he's too preoccupied with that to efficiently hunt jinchuuriki."

"Even if it's only an exaggeration, I was called a bijuu given flesh. Give the word, and I'll hunt the remaining jinchuuriki myself." He eagerly bared his fangs in anticipation of the hunt. He wanted another go at the blond jinchuuriki of the leaf. He was sure he'd have as much fun with whoever the other jinchuuriki was.

"No!" Madara pounded a fist into one arm of his chair. "Even Akatsuki hasn't been able to uncover the whereabouts of the Hachibi no Ushi. For now, I'll just use Sasuke for that. With Kumo chasing him, it's possible he can take advantage of the situation and discover some information we couldn't. Even if he can't, they'll be distracted enough for us to spread our information net."

Kisame chuckled. "You always overanalyze the situation, but that's why I've always respected you." He nodded in agreement, and his smirk broadened. He sensed there was something else left unsaid. "You do have a task for me, though. You didn't seek me out and make sure I was hired into Akatsuki just so I could sit around twiddling my thumbs. Ask and my sword is yours."

Leaning forward again, Madara rapped his fingers against each other. After a moment, he tented his hands in front of his face in contemplation. "It's too dangerous to stay in Rain. Our enemies know we're here now, and I doubt Konan will just quietly fade away. We need to move our headquarters, and I have the ideal location in mind. I want you to head to Void and set up some real estate. I'll have somebody in the lower ranks spread rumors that we're hunting bijuu in the area."

"You don't want anybody to think we're planning on moving in?" Kisame licked his lips in excitement. "I can play along. I hear the four warriors that guard Void are quite strong. I look forward to tasting their chakra." His smirk broadened into a full grin in anticipation.

Madara tilted his head to one side. "I also don't want anybody investigating. Void will call for help, and help will come. I need to make sure nobody interferes with Akatsuki moving into our new home. That said; you need to appear to lose. You need to appear to die."

Kisame rolled his head then shoulders. With a shrug, he chuckled in amusement. "I don't like it, and I'm sure Samehade won't like it." His smirk betrayed his bloodlust. His eyes betrayed fervor for battle. "However, I think we'll both get over it. I've dreamt of fighting the four warriors protecting Void." His eyes practically glazed over in a euphoric daydream.

"You'll move during the Kage summit." Madara interrupted his fantasies. "While the Kage are away at the Shadow Council, we'll have an open window to attack. Even without Kage present to make decisions, the villages will be ready to move out to help an ailing ally. Try to hold back until at least one squad arrives to witness…" He paused to appraise his words. "…your final moments."

Kisame turned and laughed the entire way out of the room. He knew he would enjoy partnering with Akatsuki, but he never imagined he'd receive such an interesting and fun assignment. The jinchuuriki were the ultimate test for any shinobi, but he was looking forward to a very different challenge.

Void was the perfect land to test his skills at. He could go all out and not worry about killing anyone. He was tired of holding back to keep jinchuuriki alive. Even if he respected Madara, Samehade was growing restless. He wasn't sure how long he could hold back his thirst for blood. He practically oozed killer intent as he walked down corridor and towards the exit.

Gaara stood patiently as Matsuri put the finishing touches on his formal attire. His cheeks were lightly blushed as she leaned in closely to finish tucking, buttoning, and straightening. She smirked knowingly and tried not to laugh. She was also trying hard not to tease him too much. His siblings were waiting just outside the room, and they would not tolerate any delay.

"The day's finally come, huh?" Matsuri asked with no insignificant hint of delight. He looked at her questioningly. "The five, great nations are holding a Shadow Council. They might not agree on everything, but they agree that Akatsuki is a common threat. They can't stand to see any more comrades fall, so they want to discuss their options."

He nodded. "I won't let them lay their hands on Naruto. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be where I am today. I intend to protect him as he once protected me. I intend to finally repay my debt to him, my first friend." He bowed his head. "He is the sincerest person I've ever met."

She smiled and kissed his cheek. Her smile only broadened when the reddish tint of his blush brightened ever so slightly. "You treasure your precious friends just like he treasures his. You've learned a lot from him, and I think you're just as sincere. I love that about you."

Before he could respond, she finished his collar and spun him towards the door. Slightly disoriented by her sudden action, he couldn't stop her from pushing him forward. She opened the door and led the both of them into the hallway. She wasn't surprised to see Kankuro's genin along with him and Temari.

"Why can't we go, too?!" Hishu exclaimed angrily. "Temari always gets to visit Konoha to see her boyfriend." Kankuro stiffened at the leaked information as his sister gave him a stern look. "We're just genin. No way a bunch of Kage'll see us as any kind of threat."

Instead of scolding an obviously brash statement, Tsume chimed in to agree. "Yeah, Naruto-san might be there!" Her teammates and sensei looked at her disbelievingly for her seemingly one-track mind. "It would be a great chance for us to get out of Wind. We haven't left since that C-rank mission.

Mori shook his head. He couldn't believe he was agreeing with his teammates, but he was as anxious to get out Wind as they were. "I think we're ready for greater responsibility. It's not like we'll be a burden. Kazekage-sama shouldn't be attacked, and we can just hide in the background."

Matsuri gently shook her head as she knelt down to scold the genin. "It's not like that, and you know it. Kazekage-sama can only have two escorts, and it's just common courtesy to take two high-ranked shinobi with the proper security clearance. To the other Kage, it would be rude and a show of bad taste to bring you along."

Tsume was about to protest, but Matsuri gently placed a hand on her head. "Now, now, don't complain. You have a new friend to play with, and you might just get a mission to help escort very important dignitaries home." She smiled at the pressure Gaara's harsh glare put on her. "I can't promise anything. They are quite capable, but I might just get bored waiting for my precious Gaara."

"Matsuri, please don't overstep your bounds while I'm gone…" She smiled sweetly to her husband as he spoke. He closed his eyes and shook his head. She was different from the timid kunoichi he first trained. She became strong and capable, and she pushed him to do the same everyday. She would do what was needed and interpret as she wanted.

Still unable to show his affections for her in public, he gently smiled at her before turning to his siblings. "It's time to go." He turned, and the three of them simply seemed to disappear. Kankuro's genin sighed in a bit of disappointment, and Matsuri clutched the fabric over her heart with a prayer for her beloved's safety.

Naruto watched his aunt as she talked business with the captain of a small charter ship. Though small for a passenger class, it still looked comfortable for their party. He noted that they seemed to know each other. He guessed she did business with him a lot. She seemed well traveled to him, and she had a lot of contacts.

When he first discovered she was his aunt, he didn't know what exactly he expected her to be like. He hadn't expected to meet any family. There were no Uzumaki in Konoha, and even his travels with Jiraiya never revealed such a clan name. As soon as she came into his life, he found out that most of the adults he knew and/or trusted knew, at least, of her.

Worse, Jiraiya knew she was alive. The sensei he felt an unusually strong connection to had kept her existence a secret. He didn't even know if he had any more family. His own aunt revealed little about his clan. Even as he watched her playfully punch the captain, he had to sigh in revelation.

No, he had denied her the opportunity. Though he immediately shut down from a sense of information overload, he withdrew and didn't let anybody close to him. A part of him wanted desperately to reach out to and trust her. A part of him desperately wanted to be near and draw comfort from somebody, anybody.

He leaned back and looked to a passing cloud. He understood why Shikamaru liked cloud gazing. It was a chance to think. It was a chance to daydream. He was forced to realize something else. He didn't want comforting gestures and words from anybody. He was realizing more and more that he saw Hinata were he once only saw Sakura and later Sasuke as well.

Kanaeru and Hinata were quickly becoming powerful forces in his life. One suddenly showed up in his life and enjoyed turning it on his ears. The other slowly evolved in his eyes and was as precious to him as any of his friends. He didn't have to seek or earn acceptance in their eyes. Though they treated him differently, they both cared deeply for him.

The clouds high above seemed to morph with is thoughts. He saw Hinata standing definitely before the last body of Pein Rikudou. Her eyes full of defiance. She was confident even as she was prepared for certain death. She wasn't the timid girl who seemed so helpless when he saw her at the chunin exam. She was more than the proud failure her cousin couldn't keep from getting back up.

"Hey, Naruto!" He was drawn from his musings when Kanaeru shouted his name. He looked at her in a half daze. "Stop daydreaming and hurry up. The ship won't wait all day for us!" He looked down to see Momiji tugging his arm. They were both worried about him. He looked up to see worried expressions on Hinata and Sakura's faces. Shikamaru was curious.

Shaking his head, he forced his mind out of his dazed state. He grabbed Momiji's hand gently and let her lead the way. They hurried to catch up and board the charter ship. They were quickly underway, and they still didn't know where they were heading. For trained ninja, it wasn't the first time, and it wouldn't be the last time. They were always prepared for unusual requests from clients.

For Momiji however, the sight of a vast open ocean was a first. She was excited and could hardly stop squirming. She dragged Naruto around and constantly asked questions. She openly marveled at his explanations and wild exaggerations. Hinata giggled in the background while Sakura returned the young girl's expectations to ground level. Shikamaru found a comfortable hole to watch clouds from.

Kanaeru stood from the captain's cabin and watched as Naruto explained water walking techniques. Even from her vantage, it was obvious the child didn't understand. Still, she convinced him to take her out on the water. She smiled demurely as she watched them walk alongside the charter ship. She absently pondered if she had missed a similar experience with her nephew as Momiji marveled at the passing sea life.

"Kids grow up so fast. You don't even get the chance to notice." The captain spoke gruffly. When she turned to face him, he indicated the blond walking on water to entertain the red head. "They fight to gain independence, but they are forced to realize they rely too much on human affection. If you realize this before your old and weary, you might not be calling the things around you family and life."

"Heh, is that some old sea wisdom?" She turned back to watch her nephew and, for better or worse, adopted daughter. He really had a way with children, and he was having as much fun as his piggyback passenger.

"Nah, it's just something a stupid, old man was forced to realize." He smiled as she turned to face him again. "Don't let the opportunity slip out of reach. If you're troubled, just find some common ground."

With a chuckle, she turned away once more. "I already know that…" She wanted to close the gap between them, but she knew she had to wait for her sister's son to sort out his own feelings. She couldn't interfere or else risk irreparable damage. The one thing she feared most was losing her precious, last connection to her sister and foolish brother-in-law once and for all.

The hours passed as the charter ship cut through the open seas. Though Kanaeru and Naruto didn't try to keep their distances from each other, they were kept occupied and separate. Naruto played with Momiji and managed to wrap the rest of his friends in games of tag, hide-and-seek, or anything else from her imagination. Kanaeru either studied scrolls from one of the quest quarters or watched from the captain's cabin.

A few days of travel and plenty of rest and relaxation was rewarded with a unique sight. Though Hinata was nervous being so close to Lightning territory, they were all impressed by the massive statue guarding the port. Naruto was reminded of the Valley of the End, but the figure also held a scroll. It was truly an intimidating sight to see one of the famous guardians of Void.

When they landed, the captain collected the fare and thanked them for their business. As he left to find new passengers, Kanaeru led them in the opposite direction. As ninja, everybody but Momiji was used to rapid travel. The young red head again rode Naruto piggyback. She was asleep before they left the small port village.

"Sorry guys, no time for sight seeing." Kanaeru apologized as they rushed through the countryside. "Well pass two more guardians on our way, but we won't have a chance to see them. We'll get a good close-up view of the fourth as we leave the next port. Once we're on out on the sea again, we'll be on our way to our real destination. It's a bit roundabout, but it's the fastest way and avoids a few headaches."

"What kind of headaches?" Sakura spoke up in curiosity. As the team medic, she naturally wanted to know about any dangers they might run across. It was her responsibility to heal them as needed, but she was also partly responsible for helping them avoid as much danger as possible.

"Oh, mostly diplomatic stuff." Kanaeru chuckled. "I made a few promises to people I don't really want to see right now. Even if they understand, they might not be quite willing to accept everything I told them as it stands. For now, just trust me that it's not worth digging into. Political stuff is so boring."

Shikamaru sighed. "Still, it's best to know if it affects the team." His lazy expression turned stern. "I won't accept going into a mission blind. We're in Void, too close to Kumo to be comfortable. We also have reason to believe factions Oto may still be operating, and they were centered nearby."

Kanaeru smirked. "Do you know Void never saw battle during the great ninja wars?" Unprepared for an unusual question to be used to answer, the Konoha shinobi shook their heads. "The legends of the great guardians aren't just legends. Even if opposing armies met on this land, they'd retreat to their respective positions. As long as they showed no hostility, the guardians wouldn't awaken."

Shikamaru shook his head. "You're using the legend to cover your trail. You may be on good terms with whoever you're avoiding, but you can certainly be sneaky." He glanced towards Naruto. "Well, at least now I know we're safe. If Isaribi's information is anything to go by, she's probably just avoiding running in with Iwa." He turned his attention to Hinata. "She's also managed to calm down Hinata. Kumo's just too close for comfort."

Kanaeru was right, of course. They weren't bothered the entire way through Void. They were quickly able to charter a boat in the next port they visited. The captain was obviously ninja. They couldn't tell if he was still in the profession or retired, however. It really didn't matter to them because they were off to wherever Kanaeru was interested in keeping a secret for as long as possible.

I had actually intended to release this chapter right before December. Unfortunately, fatigue obviously showed in what I initially wrote up. Instead of releasing something so obviously half-hearted, I started over and decided to actually take the month off. I do hope you enjoy the effort.

As always, reviews are appreciated, and flames outright ignored.

Story Word Count: 8,017
Story Page Count: 16

Terms and Jutsu:

Minato actually translate to harbor or port. The irony is that Port Minato is redundant! Oh, and yes...I do think up background stories to literally everything...

Kiri no Shinobigatana Nananin Shuu - Seven Ninja Swordsman of the Mist